Ernesto Sixto de la Asunción Lecuona Casado, born on August 6, 1895, in Guanabacoa, Cuba, was a pianist and composer. He began studying piano at age five and composed his first piece by thirteen. Lecuona studied at the National Conservatory of Havana, graduating with a gold medal in interpretation at sixteen. He started his international career at New York's Aeolian Hall and continued his studies in France with Maurice Ravel. Notable works include the zarzuelas Canto Siboney, María la O, and Rosa la China; the songs "La Comparsa" and "Malagueña"; and the opera El Sombrero de Yarey. His composition "Siempre en mi corazón" was nominated for an Oscar in 1942. After the Cuban Revolution in 1960, he moved to Tampa, Florida. Lecuona was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1999. He died on November 29, 1963, during a visit to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
